Japan's Official Development Assistance White Paper 2007
Next PageMain Text > Part II ODA ODA Record for FY2006 > Chapter 2 Details about Japan's Official Development Assistance > Section 5. Formulation and Implementation of ODA Policy
Section 5. Operations of the Principle of Assistance Implementation
The main objective of Official Development Assistance is to contribute to the economic development and improvement of welfare of developing countries.1 Since the source of development assistance is the taxes paid by Japanese citizens, aid must be also used in accordance with this objective from the perspective of appropriate public spending. Furthermore, Japan's assitance intends to contribute to the peace and development of the international community through which Japan ensures its own security and prosperity. Therefore, when providing assistance, concern should not be given solely to the demand for assistance by developing countries, but also be given to the overall state of bilateral relations, including such elements as the trends in military expenditures, the efforts to promote democracy and market-based economies, and the state of protection of basic human rights and freedoms by these developing countries. Regarding the operation of principles of assistance implementation, the Charter on Official Development Assistance stipulates that based on the principles of the Charter (Objectives, Basic Policies, Priority Issues, Priority Regions) Japan's assistance will be provided by comprehensively taking into account the developing countries' need for assistance, socio-economic conditions, and Japan's bilateral relations with the recipient country. It also states that aid will be provided in accordance with the principles stipulated in the United Nations Charter (especially sovereign equality and non-intervention in internal affairs), as well as the following points:
(1) Environmental conservation and development should be pursued in tandem.
(2) Any use of ODA for military purposes or for aggravation of international conflicts should be avoided.
(3) Full attention should be paid to trends in recipient countries' military expenditures, their development and production of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, their export and import of arms, etc., so as to maintain and strengthen international peace and stability, including the prevention of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and from the viewpoint that developing countries should place appropriate priorities in the allocation of their resources on their own economic and social development.
(4) Full attention should be paid to efforts for promoting democratization and the introduction of a market-oriented economy, and the situation regarding the protection of basic human rights and freedoms in the developing countries.
(2) Any use of ODA for military purposes or for aggravation of international conflicts should be avoided.
(3) Full attention should be paid to trends in recipient countries' military expenditures, their development and production of weapons of mass destruction and missiles, their export and import of arms, etc., so as to maintain and strengthen international peace and stability, including the prevention of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and from the viewpoint that developing countries should place appropriate priorities in the allocation of their resources on their own economic and social development.
(4) Full attention should be paid to efforts for promoting democratization and the introduction of a market-oriented economy, and the situation regarding the protection of basic human rights and freedoms in the developing countries.
<Specific Operations>
When operating the principle of ODA implementation in specific cases, it is vital that judgments are made not by mechanically adhering to a series of set standards, but by comprehensive evaluation on a case-by-case basis that considers the various conditions in the recipient country, such as the background of its present circumstances and comparison with its past ones.
In addition, when applying the principle of ODA implementation, humanitarian considerations for the people in the developing country must also be taken into account. In the event that development aid is suspended or minimized according to the principle of ODA implementation, it is the ordinary people of the developing country in question that will suffer the most serious impact, in particular the impoverished people. Consequently, even in cases in which Japan has decided to suspend or minimize development aid, it is necessary to combine such judgment with measures that give special consideration to the implementation of emergency or humanitarian assistance.
● Consideration for the environment and society
In promoting economic development, it is inevitable that environmental impacts will increase. In its history of development, Japan has experienced numerous instances of pollution such as mercury contamination of its waters in Minamata. Based on this experience, Japan implements development aid carefully in order to minimize adverse impacts on the environment. It is also important to give consideration to undesirable effects on the socially disadvantaged, such as the poor and minorities. From this perspective, the implementing agencies, JICA and JBIC, have established guidelines for addressing impacts on the environment and society,2 maintaining vigilance through the use of procedures for preliminary surveys and procedures for monitoring at the implementation stage.
● Avoidance of military uses and of encouragement of international conflict
The use of assistance for military purposes or for encouraging international conflict must be strictly avoided. Therefore, Japan does not directly assist the military or military personnel of developing countries through official development assistance.
Furthermore, Japan has actively contributed to the fight against terrorism and peacebuilding through development assistance in recent years. Given that materials provided through assistance by Japan must not be used for military purposes, it is also necessary that the principle of ODA implementation should be considered when assistance is provided for anti-terrorism activities.
In June 2006, Japan decided to provide Indonesia with three patrol vessels (up to ¥1.921 billion in assistance) in order to strengthen the security system in the Strait of Malacca through a newly established grant aid for cooperation on counter-terrorism and security enhancement. The Strait of Malacca is a major international maritime transport artery through which approximately 90,000 ships pass each year. Approximately 14,000 of those are Japan — related ships, which makes the Strait of Malacca the busiest in any strait in the world for Japan — related vessels. In addition, approximately 90% of the oil imported to Japan goes through this strait, which, therefore, is an extremely important sea lane for Japan. Since approximately 37% of all the piracy incidents occur in the Southeast Asian region, including the Strait of Malacca and surrounding areas, it is necessary to take urgent measures to strengthen the maritime security systems of the coastal countries surrounding these sea areas. Although the patrol vessels exported from Japan under this assistance project were given to the naval police of the Indonesian national police, which is not a military organization, these patrol vessels have been bullet-proofed to protect their crew members, and fall under the category of "military vessels" stipulated by the Export Trade Control Ordinance. As a result, the vessels fall under "arms" as defined in Japan's Three Principles on Arms Exports.3 For this reason it was necessary to reach an agreement with the Indonesian side to ensure that the patrol vessels supplied through this project are to be used only for enforcement against, and prevention of terrorism, and acts of piracy, not for any other objective, and that the vessels are not to be transferred to any third party without the prior approval of Japan. Provision of the patrol vessels has then been made as an exception of the Three Principles on Arms Exports.4 In this way the implementation of development assistance in compliance with the ODA Charter was ensured.
See Section 2 for efforts on anti-terrorism
● Promoting democratization, ensuring basic human rights and freedoms
In dealing with political turmoil in developing countries, there are instances where doubt exists concerning the democratic legitimacy of administrations established after conflict, and where a constitution, which guards against infringements of human rights by government, is suspended. For this reason, Japan is cautious and prudent when providing aid in such instances. Through this approach, Japan ensures that development assistance is used appropriately and conveys to the recipient country its strong concern regarding the state of democratization.
Recently, political turmoil has erupted in Thailand and Fiji.
In Thailand, the Thaksin administration inaugurated in February 2001 completed a four-year term under the strong leadership of the Prime Minister, setting the precedent in Thai political history for administrations established as a result of election. The ruling Thai Rak Thai Party won a majority of votes in the general election held in February 2005, and established its second administration. However, the Prime Minister's top-down approach was opposed mainly by the urban middle class, and the Council for the Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy took power in September 2006. In October of the same year, Privy Councilor Surayud Chulanont was appointed as Prime Minister and an interim administration was inaugurated. Under this interim administration, Japan provided assistance based on the details of each individual project while verifying progress in the process of establishing a democratic government.5
In Fiji, the first ethnic Indian prime minister was elected in 1999, but in May 2000, the assembly was occupied by force of arms by those claiming the political predominance of Fijians. Government Forces Commodore Frank Bainimarama (an ethnic Fijian) declared martial law and temporarily seized administrative authority in order to restore law and order. In July of the same year, a provisional civilian administration was inaugurated headed by an ethnic Fijian Laisenia Qarase and in July of the following year, Qarase was appointed Prime Minister following a general election. He then commenced promoting policy measures advantageous to ethnic Fijians. Amid this situation, Commodore Bainimarama, on December 5, 2006, once again seized administrative authority and achieved a bloodless coup d'etat after issuing a declaration of emergency. Subsequently, administrative authority was transferred from the military to the president, and then, Commodore Bainimarama was appointed as Prime Minister, and a provisional cabinet was established.
In order to promote the peace and stability of Pacific island countries, Japan, which considers the establishment of democratic political institutions and good governance to be important, will closely observe the situation until democratic elections are held in light of these conditions. Japan approached the provisional administration of Fiji on various occasions urging swift restoration of democratic political institutions. With regard to development assistance, Japan, while monitoring the progress of the democratization process, has adopted a policy of giving careful consideration to the possibilities for implementation of each individual assistance, namely limiting its assistance to: (1) projects that contribute to improving the lives of citizens such as aid for education, healthcare and the socially disadvantaged; (2) projects that help to improve or solve global environmental problems; and (3) region-wide projects that benefit other Pacific island countries, being cautious about assistance toward the police and other agencies that exercise public authority.
In Guinea-Bissau in Africa, the civil war which erupted in June 1998 became protracted, and in September 2003, political riots broke out. As a result, Japan considered that the recognition of government was necessary and, with the exception of assistance through international organizations, aid was temporarily suspended. However, in response to the appointment of a president in October 2005, the normal governmental relationship between Guinea-Bissau and Japan resumed. Japan will consider assistance based on consultation with the Government of Guinea-Bissau while monitoring political conditions and the state of public order.
● Handling of assistance to the countries where there is concern about the state of human rights
With respect to countries where there is concern about the human rights situation, Japan takes various opportunities aimed at improving the situation. For example, within the context of assistance, Japan provides support for the establishment of legal and administrative institutions and implements human resources development in these areas as a part of its aid for democratization.
As for specific moves, Japan has responded, as in Myanmar, by reconsidering economic cooperation projects. In May 2003, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others were detained by the military authorities and she was placed under house arrest for the fourth time. Since this incident, Japan has been concerned about the situation and has called on the Government of Myanmar to promptly advance the national reconciliation and democratization process. In light of these situations, regarding economic cooperation, Japan has in principle suspended new projects. However, giving the worsening living environment in the country, (1) highly urgent and humanitarian projects, (2) human resource development projects which contribute to the democratization and the economic reform, and (3) projects for all of CLMV countries or the whole ASEAN are being implemented after careful and individual examination, while carefully monitoring the political situation in Myanmar.
In August 2007, demonstrations principally by Buddhist monks against the Myanmar government broke out. Security authorities responded with force, and as a result many, including one Japanese, were killed or wounded in September of the same year. In response to these circumstances, Japan further scrutinized its assistance, and on October 16, announced that it would discontinue its Japan-Myanmar Human Resources Development Center, a grant aid project.
On the other hand, there are cases where Japan has provided assistance while closely observing human rights situation.
Human rights situation in Uzbekistan is a source of concern, especially since the Andijan incident which occurred in May 2005.6 In August 2006, then Prime Minister Koizumi visited the country, making statements that democratization, protection of human rights and adaptation of a market economy are the cause of a real stability, indicating Japan's intention to support efforts in these directions. In July 2007, Japan exchanged views on such issues as democratization and human rights at the consultation between the Foreign Ministries of Japan and Uzbekistan. Japan encouraged further efforts to address and improve human rights and the democratization process. In addition, Uzbekistan demonstrated effort in the area of collaboration and partnership with the international community, entering into dialogue on human rights with the EU in May 2007. In October of the same year, the EU partially relaxed sanctions imposed on Uzbekistan after the Andijan incident. To encourage these efforts by Uzbekistan, Japan continues to provide assistance in the area of the legal system and others, taking into account the country's history, culture and traditions.
See Section 2 for assistance to Uzbekistan for establishing legal system
With regard to the so-called "political killings" issue7 in the Philippines, Japan has conveyed its concerns to the Government of the Philippines at various opportunities. President Arroyo is strengthening measures aimed at improving the situation, and Japan encourages the Government of the Philippines to promote these measures. While closely observing actions by the Government of the Philippines and paying full attention to the situation regarding the protection of basic human rights and freedoms in the country, Japan will consider the provision of assistance that contributes to the stability and development of the Philippines8 in accordance with the ODA Charter.